Philosophy Bites Daily

Nietzsche in America

A new book explores the reception and creative interpretation of Nietzsche's works in America. What emerges is a domesticated and more benign version of the philosopher. Read more...

Could David Hume have known about Buddhism?

Many people have noticed the similiarity between David Hume's view of the self and Buddhist teaching, but Alison Gopnik suggests that Hume could well have discussed Buddhism with a Jesuit who was an expert on Tibetan Buddhism while he was in La Flèche. Read more...

Quentin Skinner on Meaning, Method. Machiavelli etc.

Quentin Skinner discusses his ideas about interpretation, meaning, understanding  Machiavelli, Hobbes, freedom, and more in  a wide-ranging 2-part interview. Read more...

David Hume: pragmatist and pyromaniac

Simon Blackburn sees David Hume as a pragmatist, the forerunner of William James, John Dewey, and even to some extent Richard Rorty in this wide-ranging article for the New York Times column 'The Stone'. Read more...

Spinoza's 'book forged in hell'

Baruch Spinoza's posthumous Theological Political Treatise was only published posthumously and became known as 'a book forged in hell' because of the challenge it presented to religious orthodoxies. Read more...